VAIL SUCKS

[BenedictGomez]

So I read the NYT article. What a joke. "Stay-at-home orders are not the same as mandatory quarantines because you can still go skiing if you want."

Full quote:

“We certainly apologize for any confusion, but we were intentional in specifying ‘mandatory stay-at-home orders’ versus ‘travel restrictions’ on our website and in communications with guests.”

To get out of having to give refunds, Vail is literally using the Bill Clinton defense.

 

[Mainer]

I think attitash was blowing today because they realize how bad they’re looking. My friend who skied there yesterday said he averaged about a run an hour. Biggest line today I’ve ever seen at wildcat. Maybe open tomcat when it’s like that. Ghost town after noon.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Sucks if you're looking for a refund, but they certainly are different. That doesn't mean you have to renew, or ever hand Vail another penny in the future.

Couldnt you just say you broke your leg? Oh got vertigo?

 

[BenedictGomez]

I'm not so sure I agree on the Alterra being setup for a public stock offering. From the way I've heard Rusty talk, I get the impression they like the flexibility they have with being private (of course I could be completely wrong).

I find it hard to believe KSL & HCC arent going to be looking for a liquidity event for Alterra. I've always assumed as much. Frankly, now would be a decent time to do so via the SPAC craziness.

 

[xlr8r]

I think attitash was blowing today because they realize how bad they’re looking. My friend who skied there yesterday said he averaged about a run an hour. Biggest line today I’ve ever seen at wildcat. Maybe open tomcat when it’s like that. Ghost town after noon.

Maybe Vail has finally thrown in the towel on keeping Attitash and Wildcat Employees separate due to low staffing. Maybe they just pulled all the Wildcat Snowmakers over to Attitash this week so that they can have one full snowmaking team operate between the two mountains instead two understaffed teams that were doing nothing.

 

[drjeff]

A picture, that I didn't take, of the slide of the headwall on Ripcord at Mount Snow that happened this morning while the trail was closed and at the time the guns were running in the effort to get it open for the season.

The freezing rain from last weekend didn't make trying to bond some base layer snow to the headwall easy this year!

2nd slide of the season at Mount Snow after the Christmas Day monsoon induced wet slide on Lodge a few weeks ago!

 

[BenedictGomez]

Vail's never sold a property, right?

If we see them sell a resort (probably calling it a "non-core assett), that might be a tell.

 

[MogulMonsters]

Attitash really stepped up their game this weekend. They FINALLY opened the flying Yankee and Cathedrail trail. They are blowing snow everywhere. Today they opened Cubs Cut, upper Kachina and one of the trails to the seven figure homes.

Saturday was busy due to Wildcat being closed due to a power outage.
Today I was able to run laps of Cathedrail until noon.

Did anyone else notice folks working at Attitash with Stowe jackets on?

 

[crystalmountainskier]

Vail's never sold a property, right?

Only when forced to divest for antitrust reasons.

 

[thebigo]

Attitash really stepped up their game this weekend. They FINALLY opened the flying Yankee and Cathedrail trail. They are blowing snow everywhere. Today they opened Cubs Cut, upper Kachina and one of the trails to the seven figure homes.

Saturday was busy due to Wildcat being closed due to a power outage.
Today I was able to run laps of Cathedrail until noon.

Did anyone else notice folks working at Attitash with Stowe jackets on?

The dude with the stowe coat is the boss for all the eastern gms. Not sure his exact title.

I was there and noticed the crowd surge after the outage at wildcat. Also overheard people talking about leaving wildcat for attitash. Thought the reservation system would have prevented people from skiing both same day.

 

[Cobbold]

I'm not so sure I agree on the Alterra being setup for a public stock offering. From the way I've heard Rusty talk, I get the impression they like the flexibility they have with being private (of course I could be completely wrong). I also don't necessarily agree that they're in the weakest as we have absolutely no insight into their financial situation since they're privately held. I think in a year like this, being private can actually be an asset (depending on who your owners/investors are). If they're people that have deep pockets and care about skiing itself, they very well could be more willing to not worry so much about losing money this year. Whereas a public company like Vail has to try to keep stockholders happy no matter what. The stockholders don't care that there are restrictions on skiing due to COVID.

they my be private, but they still have to answer to their lenders, they paid top dollar for most of their resorts, while most sale prices weren’t announced, they still have have way more debt that vail, in my opinion, what did they pay for mammoth Mt? Deer valley? Crystal? What did they buy intrawest for 1.5 billion? What did they buy sugarbush for? Vail passed on intrawest and bought Stowe,okemo, Mt snow instead ( peak resort)

 

[machski]

Guess I was wrong about that one. There is absolutely no excuse for wildcat to not be blowing today. If there was a mechanical issue, they should post it on their website.

Attitash was blowing today in very marginal temperatures, think my car said 36f. They got the cubs cut route open. The trail from the top of the abenaki was groomed with no way to ski it. Tripod guns going on upper Kachina and falls, tower guns on lower Kachina, fan guns on thads. I was at bear all day but also heard they were pushing out lower saco to tie that side in.

Doesnt make sense that attitash is putting in the effort with nothing at wildcat. Hey vail, how about some communication?View attachment 50003

Wow, didn't realize Attitash was still using SR7 guns from the LBO era.

 

[abc]

Hey vail, how about some communication?

Don't just ask here! Ask directly to Vail!!!

 

[BenedictGomez]

they my be private, but they still have to answer to their lenders, they paid top dollar for most of their resorts, while most sale prices weren’t announced, they still have have way more debt that vail, in my opinion, what did they pay for mammoth Mt? Deer valley? Crystal? What did they buy intrawest for 1.5 billion? What did they buy sugarbush for? Vail passed on intrawest and bought Stowe,okemo, Mt snow instead ( peak resort)

This is one of the problems with all of these bolt-on acquisition companies, regardless of the industry. Once the low-hanging fruit gets plucked you start paying more for poorer targets. It's gets worse when copy-cats enter the picture (Alterra, of course, in this instance is the copy-cat).

 

[drjeff]

Wow, didn't realize Attitash was still using SR7 guns from the LBO era.

Most every ski area, even if has made the switch to low e guns, still keeps some old air hogs in their bone yard for "special" occasions.

Granted places that have switched over to low e, likely don't still have the air capacity they used to, so they probably can't run nearly as many air hogs as they used to....

 

[Mainer]

Listening to the snow report on the local radio station. They mention every resort in the valley, but not attitash or wildcat. Is vail to cheap to contribute? One of my friends has been looking at houses to buy in the valley. He is starting to look at other areas because of how bad attitash/wildcat has been.

 

[thebigo]

Listening to the snow report on the local radio station. They mention every resort in the valley, but not attitash or wildcat. Is vail to cheap to contribute? One of my friends has been looking at houses to buy in the valley. He is starting to look at other areas because of how bad attitash/wildcat has been

Believe those updates are put together by SKI NH. Peaks pulled out of SKI NH several years ago, website shows sunapee but not the other three.

 

[thebigo]

Has anyone been able to load money on their kid's pass? I left my kid with $10 yesterday to buy snacks but forgot they are not taking cash this year. Seem to remember being able to load money on the Peak pass but cannot find anything on the epic website.

 

[McFatt]

View attachment 49993

I see me! After waiting 35minutes to load the chair, I took an hour and half long break at my truck and waited out the line. Talked to some folks in the parking lot who had just arrived from Wildcat and were able to get day passes for Attitash because the kitty was closed. Within an hour, some dude said he got a text from the bar tender at the kitty and they got power back, so he bounced from and headed back up to the cat. Probably had the place to himself.
By 1:30, the lines were somewhat better because a lot of folks were done. Sunday was night and day and I didn't wait more than 5 minutes at either lift...
This coming MLK weekend might be an absolute sh*tshow, especially if they don't open the Abenaki lift. oy vey

 

[McFatt]

Maybe Vail has finally thrown in the towel on keeping Attitash and Wildcat Employees separate due to low staffing. Maybe they just pulled all the Wildcat Snowmakers over to Attitash this week so that they can have one full snowmaking team operate between the two mountains instead two understaffed teams that were doing nothing.

Pretty sure that's exactly what's going on.